The moment Ethan Walker stepped onto the campus, the atmosphere changed.
His two gleaming black Range Rovers and suit-clad bodyguards weren't just for protection—they were symbols of his power.
And Ethan, like a modern-day prince, knew exactly how to use that power to his advantage.
Everywhere on campus, his name echoed.
Boys admired his confidence.
Girls were captivated by his cold, unreadable charm.
Whenever he passed, heads turned—and with a faint smirk, he seemed to say,
> "Yes, it's me. And you all already know who owns this place."
But there was one person who couldn't care less—Elena.
---
The Desk Incident
The next morning, when Elena walked into her History class, her chair was gone.
Her eyes immediately landed on Ethan.
He was sitting comfortably at the front, beside an empty chair decorated with glitter and ribbons.
A small card hung from it, reading in bold letters:
> "A QUEEN FOR A DAY."
The whole classroom buzzed with whispers.
> "Wow, Ethan set up such a luxurious seat for her!"
"It looks like he's asking her out on a date!"
Ethan leaned back with a teasing smile.
> "What's wrong, Elena? Don't you like this royal treatment?"
His tone carried that familiar mix of charm and mockery.
Elena's face flushed with anger, but she kept her composure.
Without saying a word, she pulled a marker from her bag and walked straight to the glittering chair.
> "Royal treatment? My seat isn't here."
And before anyone could react, she tore off the ribbons and glitter, gathered them in her hand—
—and rubbed them across Ethan's spotless white designer shirt.
> "You like flashy things, right, Ethan?
Then here—now you're shining too.
And my seat stays wherever I decide."
Gasps filled the room.
Ethan froze in disbelief.
His expensive shirt now sparkled with pink and silver glitter.
No one had ever dared humiliate Ethan Walker like that—in public.
---
The Escalation
By lunchtime, the story had spread across the entire school.
The mighty Ethan Walker—untouchable, arrogant, unstoppable—had just been glitter-bombed by Elena.
From that day on, their rivalry became the campus's favorite entertainment.
Once, Ethan ignored Elena's entire friend group and ordered five-star hotel catering right in front of them during lunch.
In return, Elena left a note on his car's windshield:
> "Your car is so shiny, I can see my hungry reflection in it."
Ethan sent his bodyguards to silently surround her picnic table, just to make her uncomfortable.
Elena got her revenge by sneaking cat memes into his big science presentation.
Every student knew: Ethan had money and power—
but Elena had courage and razor-sharp wit.
> "You two hate each other so much," their classmate Sarah said one afternoon.
"Anyone else would've transferred schools by now."
Elena smiled faintly.
> "Hate? No. It's just a game.
And I'll keep reminding him—money doesn't always win."
But beneath the taunts and games, something else was brewing.
Whenever Ethan glared at her, there was a spark in his eyes she couldn't ignore.
And when Elena laughed—really laughed—Ethan felt something shift inside him, something he couldn't name.
Their battle wasn't just on the surface anymore—
it had begun deep within.
It happened one warm afternoon — the air was filled with laughter and chatter near the school pool.
Elena was walking by, her notebook in hand, when suddenly —
Splash!
The sound of water echoed sharply.
Before she could even scream, she was already under the surface.
Gasps filled the air.
And before anyone could move, Ethan Walker had already jumped in.
He didn't think, didn't hesitate — he just dove straight into the pool.
Within seconds, he pulled Elena out, holding her tightly as water dripped from both of them.
His uniform was soaked, his hair clinging to his forehead — but his eyes burned with anger.
He turned toward his group of friends, his voice cold and cutting.
> "Who did this?"
Silence.
> "I said, who the hell pushed her?"
One of them tried to laugh.
> "Come on, Ethan, it was just a joke—"
Ethan grabbed him by the collar before he could finish.
> "A joke? You think pushing a girl into the pool is funny?"
His tone wasn't loud, but it carried enough rage to make everyone freeze.
The confident, charming Ethan Walker that everyone knew was gone — this was someone else entirely.
He finally let go, breathing hard, then turned back to Elena.
She stood there quietly, shivering, her hair wet and eyes wide.
Without saying a word, Ethan took off his jacket and placed it gently over her shoulders.
> "You're safe now," he said softly.
For a moment, everything went still.
Students around them whispered, but no one dared to step closer.
Because in that instant — something shifted.
Elena looked at him, really looked at him —
and for the first time, she saw the boy behind the arrogance,
the one who actually understood respect.
And Ethan… he realized that not all battles were meant to be fought with pride.
Some moments weren't about winning or losing —
they were about feeling.
That day, something unspoken sparked between them.
Not love, not yet — but a pull neither could ignore.
The game had changed.
And this time, the rules were written by their hearts.
_END OF THE CHAPTER __